Workplace Harassment Training

Workplace harassment can lead to some very serious problems for your company as well as for the employees experiencing the harassment first hand. This is a matter that should not be taken lightly as workplace harassment can lead to some severe repercussions and can ultimately render the work environment toxic. It won’t be unrealistic for you to expect productivity levels to drop drastically in such an environment.
To prevent any harassment in the workplace, or to eliminate it where it already exists, we have developed a special training session where we educate and assist participants with harassment in the workplace. This Workplace Harassment training session will provide business owners and employees with the essential tools to minimize and, ideally, eliminate any traces of harassment that goes on in the workplace.

Objectives for the Workplace Harassment Training

This session will help you teach participants how to:

Understand what workplace violence and harassment is

Before workplace violence and harassment can be addressed, we first have to know what workplace violence and harassment is. Even then, many employees who claim to know what workplace harassment and violence is often still take part in it. In the first step to this session, we will discuss what workplace violence and harassment really is so that participants will have a clearer understanding and a new perspective for the following session.

Understand the benefits of harassment training

Here we will discuss the benefits that undergoing a workplace violence and harassment training session will bring to an organization and, just as importantly, to the individuals in that organization. Some of these benefits will include a healthier and more productive working environment, a happier workforce, and better quality of life for employees just to name a few.

Act if they are harassed or accused of harassment

In this part of the session our participants will engage in a role playing activity to demonstrate what it feels like to either be a victim, or to be accused, of harassment. This will be handled via a fun and highly effective manner that will provide the participants with a memorable and lasting experience from the activity.

Understand the complaint process, from the complaint to the reply, to mediation or investigation, to a solution

Understanding the whole process of handling workplace violence and harassment give confidence, as well as enable the employees to take action should the feel that they are being harassed in the workplace.

Identify situations where mediation is appropriate, and understand how mediation works in those situations

Before bringing concerns up to higher management, mediation can be applied to solve problems. Here participants will learn when mediation can be applied as a means to quell a situation before it escalates.

Identify appropriate solutions for a harassment incident

Knowing the appropriate solutions and course of action to take when filing a harassment incident can greatly speed up the process of filing harassment complaints. This will be necessary if you want your organization to be able to solve harassment issues quickly and efficiently.

Act if a complaint is false

Here we will discuss how a false complaint should be handled. This will prevent employees from being falsely accused of violence or harassment in the workplace.

Help their workplace return to normal after a harassment incident

It doesn’t always mean that once the harassment issue is solved the problem is well and truly over. Grudges can often be held by employees and can still be the cause of a negative environment in the workplace. Here participants will learn how to return a workplace to normal after the harassment issue has been taken care of through thru the proper channels.

Identify some warning signs of violence

It is always important to spot a problem brewing before it actually becomes an issue. This part of the training session will provide you with the necessary tools to spot some early warning signs. The sooner these signs are spotted, the quicker actions can be applied to avoid unwanted harassment situations in the workplace.

Understand the cycle of anger

Anger has a cycle. Here we will discuss the cycle of anger which will help participants to spot potentially troublesome situations before they become problems that affect the organization.

Use a seven-step process for managing their anger and others’ anger

Manage the anger of the people within your organization effectively with this simple seven-step process. Having knowledge of this seven-step process will make it easier for you to spot and stop anger before it escalates out of control.

Have better communication and problem solving skills, which will reduce frustration and anger

Communication is one of the greatest antidotes to anger. Here participants will learn how to communicate effectively in order to avoid misunderstandings that can lead to bad blood between coworkers.

Develop some other ways of managing anger, including coping thoughts and relaxation techniques

Act instead of reacting by equipping your employees with techniques to manage their anger. This will reduce the number of cases where higher management will have to step in to solve an issue.

More modules we could include in your team training

Actively handling workplace psychosocial risk factors and stressors
Walking the fine line
Respect and disrespect in the workplace
What’s reasonable direction action?
Cases of behaviours that constitute bullying and sexual harassment
Bullying and harassment legislation
Dealing with harassment and intimidation
Retaliation matters
If the complaint is about you
Prices and consequences of sexual harassment
What exactly is sexual harassment?
Think before you act
The costs of non-compliance
Identify types and cases of improper workplace behaviours
Recording employee actions
Personal and organisational costs associated with sexual harassment in the workplace
Consensual relationships
Will bullying and harassment be investigated?
Standards of obligation
Ensuring Senior Management commitment to a workplace that doesn’t stand unacceptable behaviours and deals with reports of intimidation in an honest, confidential and timely manner
Supervisory duties
Forms of sexual harassment
When you see it, the best way to know it
Answer to any instances of inappropriate workplace conduct that may occur
Anti-discrimination laws
Your function as a supervisory employee
Retaliation
The best way to generate a bullying and harassment complaint
Consulting with workers encourage and to create a workplace culture that is mentally healthy
Identification of bullying, excessive behaviour and situations likely to increase the risk of intimidation
Conduct to be averted
Comprehend why the understandings of people can differ
Explain what is not intimidation behaviour is
How does bullying and harassment and the disciplinary policy link?
Identify resolution alternatives
Internet and email harassment
Comprehend legislative compliance requirements related to preventing and addressing bullying and harassment in the workplace
Understand the company case for the prevention of harassment and intimidation
Tracking and reviewing the effectiveness of the control measures.
The advantages of conformity
What you should do
Why intimidation and harassment occurs
The relevance of diversity
Offensive shows in the workplace
Describe the consequences of intimidation employees, employer and workplace culture on
Supplying respectful and regular functionality feedback
Causes of sexual harassment
Identifying and defining intimidation and harassment
Victimization
Unwanted verbal behaviours
Ensuring the organisation has proper workplace bullying procedures and policies in place and workers are trained in these procedures
Impacts of sexual harassment
What the laws require
Tools of sexual harassment i.e. mobile phones, emails, social media, images, jokes etc.
Other forms of harassment
Reporting harassment and discrimination
Reacting to complaints
Discrimination in the workplace
State worker and employer duties
The consequences of harassment and bullying
Sexual harassment defined
Making and resolving charges
Executing control measures to prevent the threats and respond to workplace intimidation, and
Unwanted physical behaviours
What constitutes the workplace and where the law applies
Including bullying and harassment info in workplace induction programs

More information on the course outline

Defining Harassment

This session will examine legal, literary, and practical definitions of harassment. What should managers do to protect their workers? This session will define harassment and help participants learn more about the definitions.

Communication

In this session we establish a communication strategy. We’ll give participants a template and a few recommendations on communicating efficiently. This session will help participants to create better communication and problem solving skills that will reduce frustration and anger in the workplace.

Addressing a Gripe

Regardless of how proactive you are, most employers receive a harassment complaint at a certain point in time. We will discuss the four essential components of coping with a charge appropriately and fairly. Our trainer will highlight some basic fundamental c

What will happen if it’s Happening to Somebody Else?

In this part of the session we discuss what happens if we know the harassment is happening to someone else. A charge has not yet been filed, although there will generally be situations where a manager knows that harassment is occurring. We will discuss what to do in this case and where you can go for help.

Activity

In all of our sessions we provide a high interaction level. We include an activity here to help participants learn more about how harassment may feel and we ask them to act if they’re harassed or accused of harassment. The benefit of this activity is the ability to learn how to cope and react for future situations or occurrences.

Someone has Filed a Complaint Against Me!

The next part of the session is a discussion on what would happen when someone files a complaint against you. If you are in the specific situation where someone has filed a charge against you, don’t panic. There are many steps which you can take to handle the situation all of which will soon be discussed in detail in this session. We identify appropriate options for a harassment event.

Developing Emergency Response Plans

It is vital that employees understand what to do in case of an event. We’ll discuss some incidents to be prepared for and we will discuss what an ERP should cover.

Consulting with the Experts

Depending on the situation, you might find that you want outside or professional help. This session will discuss who can be contacted, how to contact them and the process from within your organisation for engaging these professionals.

Nipping it in the Bud

Among the prevention strategies there is one that is of importance. Managers need to be able to carefully track their workplace. During this session we will use a discussion as well as a role play to talk about how supervisors or managers can learn more about what is happening in their organisation or departments.

Workplace Practices and Procedures

We will examine how Human Resources policies, training, staff management, and security measures can help make your workplace a safer place. What types of policies should we have? We’ll take an all-inclusive look at workplace violence and harassment: the way to react to it if it does occur, and how to prevent it on an organizational level.

Basic Problem-Solving Tools

Being an effective problem solver is just another way a person can help prevent anger. We look at a three-stage problem solving model. We then help participants to use these abilities and apply the skills to a case study and a personal problem. Our trainer will also help develop some additional ways including relaxation techniques to handle emotions in the workplace more effectively.

What is Workplace Violence?

To begin this part of the session, we will examine what workplace violence is, some warning signals, and the cycle of violence. We help participants to understand the complaint process, from the charge to finding a solution, to arbitration or investigation. We also identify some warning signs of violence that will assist in prevention.

Sexual Harassment

Harassment may not be in the form of violence in the workplace. This session will discuss sexual harassment in small group work and a discussion. Topics that are covered include common scenarios that might be construed as harassment, the components of harassment, and the definition of sexual harassment.

The Instant Reply

In this session the participants will look at what to do when they are part of a violent incident. How do they prevent harassment from happening? Our trainer will provide more information on this area.

Other Ways of Managing Anger

There are a range of skills and tools available for participants to become better at handling and managing anger. We develop a few approaches to deal with anger, including coping strategies to unwind and relax. Participants become more aware of the cycle of anger.

The Anger Management Procedure

Dr. Lynn McClure, an anger management specialist, has identified seven-step processes to manage anger (yours or someone else’s). We will analyse this process in detail through a interactive discussion and through role play presentations with the group.

Developing a Harassment Policy

How do you stop harassment in the workplace? The easiest way to stop harassment from occurring is by applying it, training workers about it, and establishing a clear policy. We will talk about some fundamentals of creating, implementing, and tracking a policy, plus some training points. Learn more about preventing harassment in the workplace in this session.

Understanding Workplace Violence and Harassment

This session develops the benefits of harassment training and provides more advice on any area your team require. Customised to suit your team needs and training requirements.

Making the Decision

Of course there will be a process to handle harassment in the workplace. In this session we’ll talk about who should make the final decision about the complaint. We’ll discuss when you need to involve legal counsel.

After It’s Over

Everyone should try and return to a regular work life, once the harassment complaint was solved. This session will discuss how managers and the organization as a whole can help employees make this transition.

Investigating a Complaint

Investigating harassment charges frequently needs special training. In this session, we will cover some fundamentals of investigation, including when a complaint should and should not be investigated, who should be involved, how results can be reported, and what the investigation process should look like.

Alternatives

There are alternatives for the organization: alternatives for the complainant, solutions for the respondent, and three potential alternatives to a harassment complaint. We’ll investigate possibilities for every case during this session.

Imagine if it Happens to Me?

During this session we’ll discuss what you could do if you are being harassed by someone, including techniques for saying no. Participants will then practice these techniques during a role play. The benefit of this session is to become more effective in preventing workplace harassment with communication and assertive techniques.

Meditation

When the claimant determines to file a charge, meditation could be offered as an alternative. We will discuss what mediation is, when it’s and isn’t proper, identify situations where mediation is appropriate, and understand how arbitration works in those situations. Participants will even have an opportunity to role play mediation for a more interactive session.

False Charges

In the event that you suspect that a harassment complaint is false, you have to be very careful when dealing with it. This session will discuss some professional advice for working with situations like these.

Protecting Yourself

There are several things you could do to minimize your danger of being perceived as a harasser or of being harassed. We will discuss six of them. And if a charge is filed, what’ll should we do?

Workplace Harassment Training Summary

There should be a zero tolerance when it comes to violence and harassment in the workplace. This training session will enable participants to quickly recognize, and act upon, a developing problem before it becomes an issue in the workplace. It will empower those being harassed to speak up and enable them to take the proper channels to take care of their problems quickly and effectively.

If you have a team and would like this delivered delicately we are able to assist, our trainers are highly skilled in speaking on topics that require a more delicate approach without targeting individuals. We can add some of these modules to other sessions such as communication to also create training that covers your specifics and objectives in an effective and professional manner.